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Want to change the world and don’t know where to start? Meet María O. Concepción Díaz, Program Manager at Oxfam America. I hope her story inspires your own social leadership journey.

What inspired you to change the world?

MC: “Access to health, particularly mental health, environmental education, and gender equality are issues that have driven me since I was young. Over the years, I have been fortunate to have the opportunity to build experience working on these issues in different nonprofit and governmental settings. For the last couple of years, I have found myself particularly interested in efforts to improve accountability mechanisms and I am learning to create and support platforms that address health, education disparities among the most vulnerable populations in Puerto Rico, particularly women.”

What’s your dream for the world? What’s your area of social leadership?

MC:”My dream is for a world where children can get an education and grow up to have jobs that allow them to meaningfully contribute to our society while being paid a living wage. That’s why I am working to address inequality and empower vulnerable communities. Despite lip-service to the dangers of inequality, the gap between the richest and poorest continues to grow every single day.

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed deep systemic inequality and is quickly making the disparities worse, as millions of marginalized people are struggling to pay the bills, stay healthy, and survive. But the pandemic did not create those inequalities, it just put the spotlight on them.

Poor communities have faced extreme challenges like broken-down schools, lack of job opportunities, and decent healthcare for years. We must all work towards safe schools for our children to learn, decent health care, and show children the possibilities of a living wage.”

What’s the most powerful word in the world?

MC: “Change is my favorite word. I believe it’s necessary and I believe it is possible. I work every day on making sure I am still able to make the necessary changes to adapt to new ideas, new perspectives, and support growing leaders. In the last couple of months, I have really appreciated the opportunity to support the launch of Cambia Ya! (Change now!),the campaign against gender-based violence that Equilátera, Oxfam partner and the publisher of Tod@s, recently launched. It is about fighting the machismo that keeps women, girls and LGBTTIQ + people in situations of inequality, violence, and insecurity.”

What has been your most meaningful moment in social leadership?

MC: “My work in Puerto Rico is the last two decades has been my most meaningful work to date. Doing social justice work in such a personal context has been very meaningful for me. The period after Hurricane Maria (Fall 2017) especially has allowed me to mentor and work alongside a whole generation of social leaders on the island rise to the challenge. I am humbled to have had the opportunity participate in the awakening and development of a new generation of leaders who are working strategically and collaboratively to build back better.”

What advice would you give someone who wants to change the world?

MC: “Changing the world for the better means working hard for the people. To succeed, you must leave your ego at the door, be open-minded and committed to learn every day, and discover the beauty of building community networks and opportunities so everyone around you will thrive.”

Anything else you would like to add to inspire others to become social leaders?

MC: “We are in troubling, turbulent, and tough times. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed everything and has devastated our already suffering economy. This pandemic must be our wake-up call and catalyst for change. Our economy is sexist, broken, and benefits only a few. As we reevaluate our ways of life and the policies that affect us, we must make a change. This is our opportunity. That’s why I am very grateful to work for an organization like Oxfam America, which is committed to support vulnerable communities here in Puerto Rico, in the mainland, and around the world to save lives, build better futures for themselves, and hold the powerful accountable.”

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Please visit the Oxfam America and Cambia Ya! websites to get involved with María’s work.

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